Sometimes it makes a lot of sense to have a cross functional work team established to tackle business challenges or drive operational improvement in current processes. Other times it is better to assign the task to an individual or to a group with a clearly defined leader. Cross functional teams provide the added benefit of brining…

Convenience store chains, like most retailers, pay close attention to transaction counts and sales per customer. Until recently, getting to know your customers as individuals might have seemed costly and out of reach for all but the largest of companies. Having the opportunity to communicate with your customers and getting to know their friends and…

Top retailers in any category understand the importance of their brand, their brand promise and how they deliver on that promise. They understand that given a choice, consumers would rather spend their money with retail brands they know, like and trust.  So how recognizable is your c-store brand and what is it that you promise…

“The customer is always right.”  “Our customers come first.”  “We value our customers.” Blah, blah, blah… Sure we have all read retailer mission statements about how they value their customers, but how many truly take these words to heart?  For most companies, their mission statement and promise of “the best customer experience” is just words…

It sounds like a couple of obvious questions, but when these questions are asked to executives at a convenience store chain, the wide array of answers may surprise you. Most execs generally know how a company arrived at its present state. However, dig deeper and many will tell you they arrived at their current destination…